Battleground of the Disciples
by KG Entertainment Division
Summary: With designs upon the high throne of his master, Karnah Mastah, Lucius begins to devise his plan in removing the soon-to-be Fallen Gods from power, but before he can do that, he needs to dispose of those that would take their place, their precious disciples. Join the disciples in their journey through the land of Ishgria, the land that shall shatter their bonds, and bring them ruin
1. The Beast God

**The Beast God**

"Hey Quartz! Where're you at mate!? I just took out a big'in, mean green dragon, he was practically pubescent!" The disciple, Tazer wandered through the giant gates of Alfa Dilith's throne room. His friend had always been one for a good hunting story, and he was eager to share the tale, he'd gotten a great big scar down his chest as a trophy of the encounter.

The doors parted soundlessly for him, and he wandered in unannounced into the Beast God's Lair. It was an enormous hall, it's end far out of sight, and crossed from floor to ceiling with vibrant greens, an endless array of plants in an almost jungle-like scene. He wandered through the thick foliage, hacking through branches left and right with his enchanted blade.

"-Is heresy, Quartz, do you understand that!? Now, just tell me where you left them, and we'll consider this a moot point, you may return to your business, and nobody hears of it."

"Hmm….nah, I'm thinkin' not Alfie, I know what you'll be using them for, you can consider em' good as lost!"

"Hey guys, what are we talkin' abou-"

"You, _dare!?_ I will banish you for this, in defying me you betray your fellow gods as well!" Quartz met Alfa Dilith's fury with his own deathly blue-eyed glare, a defiant smirk on his lips as he brushed his messy blond curls from his face.

"Try me…" He replied, low, dangerous. Tazer scratched his head, glancing between his friend and the Beast God, what had he missed?

"H...hey guys, what're ya up t-"

"Ehh, pardon me sir, were you by chance invited?" Tazer glanced over his shoulders, the voice coming from behind him. The God's disciple Zurg stood there, the picture of fanciful in his black and gold brocade, his black skin gleaming in the low, spectral light of the chambers. The two gold rings through his pointed ear had some unknown text inscribed on them. "I don't recall Lord Alfa Dilith inviting you Sir Tazer, but I do believe that it's entirely within the realm of possibility that I missed a memo, so please, make yourself at home until milord is finished with his current audiences."

"Oh hey Zurg buddy! What's up? How ya doing? Oh yeah, nobody actually called me in here, I just figured that I'd come in, I'm sure he won't mind." Zurg blinked, beady eyes narrowing as he frowned.

"You mean to tell me….that you don't...have an appointment? And you….came in anyway?"

"Yah huh." The disciple was quaking, blood seeming to flow freely from his eyeballs.

"How…" Zurg threw up his hands, incredulous," how did either of you ever serve a roach? Let alone a god… My Lord is currently dealing with your traitorous friend, consider yourself lucky that you've not committed any crime greater than idiocy or you'd be next. But please, _please_ , give me a reason…" He'd intended it to be menacing, but Tazer had already stopped listening, looking back towards the ongoing argument. "I swear, I AM GOING TO MUR-"

"Oh for goodness sake, Zurg! Let it be!" The Beast God glared from across the room at his disciple, his voice absolutely dripping with contempt for having his conversation interrupted. Zurg almost immediately reverted to his docile state, hands clasped politely behind his back, a delighted smile on his face.

"Of course sir, a good day to you Master Tazer," he said genuinely, Tazer returned the smile easily, completely unaware. Rolling his eyes, the Beast God turned back to the subject before him, the unending castle on his back seeming to cause him genuine strain for once.

"You've one last chance then Quartz, give me the location of even one of the artifacts, and perhaps I'll show leniency." Quartz stood there for a moment, twirling a lock of hair thoughtfully.

"Hmm...tempting, buuuuut I think I'll pass mate, c'mon! Just tell me where I'm getting sent on vacay, I've been itchin' to go somewhere nice." Alfa Dilith growled, the castle atop his back shuddering with it, stones and dust sailing clear of it.

"Insolent worm! I, Alfa Dilith, Beast God of the Divine Ten, will banish you from this realm of the divine and deities, to a world black of heart and black with sin, the realm of demons shall be your abode. For a millenia you shall rot, and if by the end you still draw breath then I will ask you again, and if your defiance remains intact, then a thousand years shall be your fate. Now, BEGONE!" A green fire bloomed in the Beast God's hand, there was something tremendously intimidating, even to Tazer, about a god holding the weight of a castle atop his back and still delivering such a moving speech. But Quartz just stood there and smiled.

"Alright then, try me Alfie, a thousand years? That's nothing!" Sneering, Alfa Dilith threw out his hand, and the flame leapt free of his hand, sailing hungrily towards Quartz. "I HID THEM ALL UNDERNEATH THE-" and then the flame struck him, and he winked out of existence.

…

"Ah damn, so Alfie! What's goin' on?" The Beast God sighed, placing a hand to his cheek.

"Ah yes, I forgot about the other one, I almost didn't recognize you glued to Quartz's side. Now what do you want Tazer? I've order to keep."

"Oh, well I was just wondering where ya sent Quartz to."

"I sent him to the realm of demons, Ishgria. His insurgent ideals, keeping the holy relics from the gods who created them, carried him too far today. So now he's fated to meet out his days i-"

"Yeah uh-huh that's great, listen, when's he getting back?" Alfa Dilith blinked, peeved.

"A thousand years he is to be banished, a thousand more should he fail to tell me where he's hidden the relics."

"Cool." Tazer sat himself down, cross-legged in the middle of the room, humming tunelessly to himself. Alfa Dilith cocked his eyebrow at the disciple, unsure of what was going on.

"W...what exactly are you….doing?"

"Waitin', a thousand's not all that long, I'll be here for when he gets back, I've got a kick-ass story for him. Plus I have to return this staff to him, he left in my room, it looks creepy though."

"Oh no no no no no, you are most certainly NOT waiting for hi- Wait what was that about a staff?."

"So _you_ wanna hear the story!?" Tazer beamed, excited.

"No, I've no time for your stories Tazer, and I've seen less than that for you waiting about in my throne room. You'll not be sitting there for a millenia, chatting my ear off about him or any other stories of yours."

"Oh...well….can I fight you for him?"

"I w….what...I'm….sorry, did I hear that correctly?"

"Maybe, here, I'll try again," the disciple cleared his throat, closing his crystal blue eyes," CAN I FIGHT YOU FOR HIM?"

"No! No you most certainly cannot! Why I've half a mind to put you down for such insol-"

"Actually milord," Zurg interjected, zipping up to stand between the Beast God and Tazer, brandishing a massive leather and gold bound tome. "He can, you see, whoever defeats the Beast God assumes his strength and position, and since you banished Quartz on your authority as the Beast God, Tazer could feasibly revoke the decree should he win such a duel." Alfa Dilith's eye spasmed, irritation scrawled so thickly over his face as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Thank you, Zurg, you're...so...very helpful."  
"Of course sir," Zurg replied with a curt bow and broad smile.

"Awesome, I'm gonna deck ya!" Tazer exclaimed, conjuring up his platform of churning water, bouncing back and forth on his feet.

"Oh no you most certainly won't!" The God raged, furious, the stones atop his back shifting and rumbling with his fury.

"But milord, the rules are ironbound that a challenger is entitle-"

"Because Zurg is going to be my champion." Tazer blinked, shrugged, he didn't really care who he fought, so long as Quartz came back to hear about his hunting trip.

"Alright, well I'm still gonna-"

"I WILL TEAR YOUR EYES OUT THROUGH YOUR ASS YOU HERETICAL SWINE!" Zurg bulled straight through the crystal waves and grabbed Tazer by the throat, tossing him clean off the wave that he stood on, the disciple's sword spinning from his hand, then ramming him into a thick tree trunk nearby. His muscles bulged, tearing clean through the silken shirt he'd been wearing, flexing a body rippling with power and traced head to toe with elegant, arcane markings.

Tazer was stunned for a moment, then smirked, using the tree for balance he rose up and wrapped his legs around Zurg's waist, locking them in place.

"Oh Tazer, quite kinky, people will talk," Zurg told him, wrapping both hands around Tazer's windpipe, yet even as the disciple's face grew red he just smirked.

"Let 'em talk." Tazer's blue eyes flashed, and they were suddenly put under by a great sphere of water that materialized around them. Zurg's eyes bulged, the grip on Tazer's throat loosening just the slightest as they were cut off from the air around them. Tazer's hands shot up, moving through the water as if they were mere air, tearing Zurg's hands away. Pinning the demon's arms to his side, Tazer pressed his weight forward, forcing Zurg down, to his knees, then to the floor, gurgling in shock and pain, trying to thrash and free himself, but the water weighed him down infinitely more than it did Tazer. Carefully, Tazer extracted his legs, using his muscle now to hold Zurg down, he pressed a foot into the demon's chest. "Aww, what's the matter Zurg? You were so sure of yourself a second ago!"

"*Blurg* *Burk*" Zurg gargled, lungs failing him.

"Oh, what's that? You're going to send me spiraling into the darkest rings of hell the likes of which I may never return from?" Zurg cocked an eyebrow, burbling again. "Yeah, I get that a lot." Tazer kicked outwards, and Zurg went flying free of the sphere like a bullet fired from a gun, crashing headfirst into the trunk of another tree with an audible crunch, causing Alfa Dilith to actually cringe at the sound.

Tazer strolled free of the watery orb, allowing it to break apart behind him. "Y'know, I always liked that little trick," he began, stooping as he moved to scoop up his discarded weapon, "makes my hair look kick-ass," he passed a hand through his orange and silver locks, pulling them back against his skull to give himself a sleek, polished look. Thinking it would be a cool way to make the kill, Tazer tossed his sword up high into the air, watching it spin end over end, hand reaching upwards to catch it so he could bring it down on the fallen disciple.

"I WILL NOT BE MOCKED DAMN YOU!" Zurg leapt upwards, driving a fist right into Tazer's groin, causing Tazer to moan out in pain, knees folding as stars swam in his vision.

"Ohhhhhhhhh that's a low blow," he groaned. His sword came down and buried itself in the ground beside him, forgotten.

"THIS! IS NOT! THE FACE! OF A DEMON! WHO CARES!" Zurg punctuated each statement with a wicked punch into Tazer's face, feeling teeth crack and flesh bruise under each strike. "WHOO CANCAH!" He shouted, ending the combo by raking his black claws across both of Tazer's cheeks, making him cry out. Grabbing hold of his blade, Tazer swiped at Zurg, putting some distance between them as the demon jumped back. He caressed his cheek, yellow puss already rising to the surface of the wound, which hissed audibly. He spat out a mouthful of blood and even a tooth, then wiped the back of his hand across his mouth.

"Hoo boy," he huffed, suddenly breathless, "that was good….that was really good, I'll give ya that, that's a good burn."

"Is it now?" Zurg asked, an arrogant grin twisting his lips.

"Totall-eeee hells," Taser recoiled a bit as his cheeks suddenly felt like acid, paralyzing the muscles in his face, "Tha-ish no' a 'ood 'urn." Zurg grinned a devious grin and leapt at the injured disciple. In a panic, Tazer jumped to his feet and launched upward, summoning a geyser of water to throw him up out of Zurg's reach. Once he'd landed on a high branch, he made himself scarce, hiding among the treetops, much to Zurg's irritation.

"DON'T YOU HIDE FROM ME!" He ran to the nearest rooted tree, wrapping both arms around its trunk, and heaved. He grunted his rage out, the roots beginning to erupt from the ground, spraying waves of dirt into the air.

"Nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah shneak ahaaaaaack!" Tazer chose that moment to come swinging from a vine, falling upon Zurg in a tangle of armor and muscle, driving his sword straight through the center of Zurg's chest, pinning him to the tree. "Aah tha's how ya win a 'ight!" Zurg coughed, vomiting a stream of black blood onto the base of the tree.

"You….guttershite…" The demon wheezed through clenched teeth.

"Wha's the 'aher Zurg, are you alrigh'?" Tazer asked, genuinely concerned, cheeks swelling from the venom rushing through them.

"I have a gods-damned sword in my chest...OF COURSE I'M NOT ALRIGH-OH GODS organ's failing."

"Zurg, hey, hey hang in there 'uddy, heh heh, hang, heh heh…"

"Oh my Karnah Mastah," Zurg sighed, "I don't know,...who handles these...but if I can make a dying wish," he turned his head just enough to catch Tazer's eye, "it's that I hope you get cancer." The demon's body shuddered, convulsing briefly, then fell silent.

"Huh, so 'ooh I win? I 'hink I 'ooh, wooh!" Tazer pulled his sword free of his opponent's chest, allowing the body to collapse, then turned to the Beast God. "Al'igh' Alha 'Ilith, you an' 'ee, le's ooo-"

Alfa Dilith flicked his wrist, tossing out a ball of golden fire that struck Tazer full in his chest, sending the disciple flying back, twitching as he landed face-first, yellow puss beginning to flow freely down his cheeks.

"There, now that that's been taken care of, Zurg." The demon leapt to his feet, back in his clean-pressed suit, completely free of any damage. He dusted himself off, offering a low bow to Alfa Dilith.

"Milord," he answered merrily, head cocked in a joyous smile.

"Are you quite alright Zurg?"

"Well sir, he appears to have opened a gaping hole in my chest that I don't think will ever close up, but that aside I'm good as new."

"Ah, well I doubt that that's much of a-oh…" Zurg unbuttoned his shirt, revealing an enormous hole, as wide around as a fist in his chest, Alfa Dilith cringed slightly. "Oh dear, well I should do something about that." The Beast God shot forth a bright green beam of light that struck Zurg full in the chest. When the beam had cleared, Zurg looked down to find the hole still very much present, though now with a row of razor sharp white teeth around the edges of it.

"Um...milord? What is the purpose of these?"

"Hmm? Oh, nothing, but they look intimidating. NOW! Dispose of this yes?" Alfa Dilith commanded, gesturing to the fallen Tazer. "And when the deed is done, do be sure to secure that staff from him."

"Why not beforehand sir?"

"Because I don't need you dying on me Zurg, never underestimate the power of an idiot, even when they're completely unconscious." Zurg nodded, stretching out both arms thoroughly, shaking out his wrists.

"Very well sir, I'll see to it that he's brought to the rifts, he'll be locked up in Kajah's prison for the time being, is a thousand years appropriate?" The Beast God smirked, pleased with his disciple.

"Very appropriate Zurg, very." Zurg took this as a cue, reaching down to hoist Tazer's body over his shoulder, take one more opportunity to bow to Alfa Dilith, and exit the chambers.

…

"Oh gods you're heavy!" Zurg groaned, his back burning as he switched shoulders again to ease the burden. His legs couldn't take it anymore, burning as he struggled to bear the weight of Tazer, gasping for air as he neared his destination.

"Hey I take offense to that!" Zurg looked back over his shoulder to find Tazer hanging there, smiling happily up at him.

"Wha-what in the hells! You're awake!?"

"Well yeah, pfft...duh."

"But how're you...you were dying from toxins! AND WHY WOULD YOU LET ME CARRY YOU THIS WHOLE WAY!?"

"Well yeah, but then the staff that Quartz left me made me better," at this the disciple pulled the staff from somewhere on his person, it was nearly as tall as he was, topped with a wide, blue and gold circle, embedded with an array of sapphires, at its center was a large white stone painted to appear like an eye, it's center glowed white hot. At that moment the center of the eye caught a stray ray of light, shooting a concentrated beam directly into Zurg's eyes.

"AAAH! SON OF A-"

"And you didn't seem to mind so I figured I'd let you keep on," Tazer continued, unabated, "say, could we stop back at that tree we passed like an hour ago? I really like that tree, it's nice to sit under, look up at the star-"

"Tell me Tazer, have I told you how much I despise you today?" Zurg interrupted, sneering. Tazer pressed a hand to his cheek, thinking.

"Hmm, you? I don't think so, not today at least."

"Because I _really_ do."

"Aww, don't be like that Zurg buddy, c'mon, cheer up!" Tazer moved to give Zurg a playful punch, but accidentally put his fist straight through the front of Zurg's clean-pressed shirt. "Huh, say, when did you install this Zurg?" Tazer peered around Zurg to see his hand clean on the other end of the demon, he waved the hand tentatively, then enthusiastically when he saw it, his goofy smile back. "Hi me!"

"Oh I am done with this!" Zurg promptly tossed Tazer forcibly to the ground, the staff in Tazer's hands caught the light again, once again blinding Zurg.

"I AM GOING TO MURDER-"

"Excuse me, Zurg is it?" Zurg glanced up, once again returning to a docile state, to see who had addressed him. It was Karnah Mastah's second in command, Lucius. The god was resplendent in his rainbow plumage, his face suffused in brilliant white light. The light was calming, bringing an undeniable warmth into Zurg's breast, he nodded, offering Lucius a stiff-backed bow. "Is this man due to a detention?"

"Indeed, the beast sought to attack Lord Alfa Dilith."

"Truly? And you defeated him?"

"I...I failed in stopping him, however Lord Alfa Dilith put him down where he stood."

"Oh, and so very humble, Alfa Dilith is so very lucky to have taken on a disciple of your caliber. I'll tell you what, I'll take this one off your hands, I shall see to it that he's disposed of." That honey-sweet voice had Zurg happily nodded along, pleased to finally be rid of the nuisance, except for one thing.

"Well actually sir, I've orders to confiscate a staff from his person once he's been dealt with." Lucius turned to look down on Zurg, that blank white face expressionless, but seemed to express some immense joy onto Zurg."

"You don't need that staff Zurg."

"Oh, well I...I _do_ actually, Lord Alfa Dil-" Lucius seized the demon by his arm, smoke rising from the point of contact as Zurg's flesh hissed, feeling aflame. His face was one of terror as he met Lucius' glare.

"You, don't need, that staff," the god insisted.

"No, indeed I don't," Zurg agreed, prying his arm free of Lucius' grip, rubbing it gingerly as he scurried away from the god's presence.

"Sssoooooooooo….Loosh, you don't _really_ wanna lock me up, do ya?" Tazer none-too stealthily trying to palm off his staff, quite awkwardly given its sheer size. Lucius stared at him, the light briefly flickering as if the god were blinking.

"I...I can't...what are you doing?"

"Noooothing, nothing at all, but come now Lord Lucius, this staff's gotta be worth a pretty penny, I mean, everybody seems to want to kill me for it," Tazer insisted, attempting to plant the staff inside the god's multicolored robes, Lucius slapped his hand away.

"What do you think I would do with money? I'm a god."

"Oh come on, it's gotta get boring being god, who doesn't wanna do a little bartering every now and then? Eh? Eh? Eh?" Lucius sighed.

"Okay, I get it, you're stupid."

"Nooooo, I'm Tazer, but I get that a lot, I guess they sound similar," Tazer replied, smiling his goofy smile. Lucius buried his face into his hands, screaming into them so the sound would be muffled, then took in a deep breath, collecting himself.

"You don't...need to do that." He paused, his shoulders slumping, "oh gods I can't believe you're the only one powerful enough for this."

"Say what now?"

"Listen, you want to see your friend again, this, Quartz, yes?"

"Depends, do you wanna hear a story!?"

"No."

"Then yes."

"Excellent, well it just so happens that I can send you where you need to go, I can open up a gate to Ishgria for you." Tazer's eyes lit up, he began leaping from foot to foot excitedly.

"OOH! Are there monsters there!? Something I can fight!? A place to swim!? GOOD FOOD!?"

"Yyyyes...sure, all of those things. So, do you wish to do it?"

"HELL YEAH!"

"Excellent," Lucius waved his hand and an enormous rainbow gate appeared on the wall beside them, "now, take care to-"

"QUAAARRRRRRRRTZZZZ!" Tazer simply charged, busting straight through the gate, and straight off a cliff on the other side, his screams echoing as he fell. Lucius peered his head through briefly just to watch the disciple drop, but lost sight of him once he'd dropped through the cloud barrier the gate had appeared over. He nodded, satisfied.

"Well, here's hoping that they're not all like that," he muttered, before willing the gate out of existence, locking the disciple on the other side.

 **GOOOOOOOOOOOD EVENING FOLKS!**

 _I'm quite excited to bring this to you all, I've been considering the idea of doing a story on Feeva's batch for quite some time, and after I brought Narza's story to the Palace of the Gods and started making characters for each of them, I just couldn't resist. So the first couple of chapters of this are going to follow the other four disciples besides Tora and their exile to Ishgria. For those of you that haven't read it and are interested, Tora's exile is detailed in my story The Mad Swordsman's Descent, so give it a read if you wish to see how she finds herself in the demon realm. I'm hoping to keep these chapters relatively short so I'm looking to get them out in a timely fashion, preferably one to every week or so. I'd be delighted if you folks could take a minute to give some feedback on what you think of the story, what do you think of Tazer especially (he was made with love 3) and just any ideas you all might have, I'd be happy to hear them. So, keep an eye out for the next chapter of this, The Supreme, and also keep your eye out sometime over the course of the week for another project I've been working on, I'm really excited to share it with you all, so look forward to it. Until then, have a great evening!_


	2. The Supreme

**The Supreme**

"Has the time come already Alpha?" The disciple stopped in his tracks, hand closing and opening over his sword's hilt.

"Am I so transparent?" The throaty chuckle of his mistress filled the hall of the Supreme. Zevalhua was radiant as ever, power flowing from her form, her lower half a warped miasma of dark energy, and snarling, savage beasts. She smiled her pretty smile, a sphere of dark power hovering over her palm as she prepared for any possible attack, not that she needed to worry, Alpha wasn't the kind to sneak a knife into somebody's back, he was more the type to let you see it coming.

"There's determination in your eyes, you've never come before me with that manner of will before. So, we are to do battle then?"

"I suppose so, to determine who the Supreme truly is between us." Alpha's blue eyes scanned over the throne of the Supreme, grand marble pillars lined the main pathway, too much cover, they'd become obstacles. "But first…" Drawing his blade, he made a grand, spinning slash in space. There was a moment of long, daunting silence as he pulled the weapon back to his side, then with a loud, creaking groan, the pillars throughout the room collapsed, falling to the floor in a cloud of marble dust. "Better." Zevalhua smiled a winsome smile at him.

"I'll miss having you as a disciple Alpha." With a snap of her fingers, a wave of dark energy swept from her form, blasting the broken pillars to dust, and forcing it to the far corners of the room. "And now it's perfect."

Alpha grinned, allowing his power to flare up around himself, crimson flames wreathing his form. He cracked his neck to the side, assuming a ready stance, one hand keeping hold of his sword and the other summoning an orb of flame.

"Aye, shall we?"

She nodded, and he struck.

With a roar, he threw the orb. Zevalhua responded in kind, the two spheres smashing together in midair and bursting in a cloud of toxic smoke, right in the path of the charging disciple. Turning on a dime, Alpha leapt to his right, then tore out of the cloud. Zevalhua, not expecting the new angle of attack, could only grit her teeth and bare the attack. Alpha grinned in triumph as his blade carved a bloody gash through his midriff, but was then abruptly stopped.

Looking down to where his blade and her hips were joined, he found one of those growling draconic...things, had grabbed the enchanted steel between its teeth. She balled her hand into a fist, as she bared a toothy grin at him, then rammed it into his chest. He gasped as his breath was forcibly pushed out of his lungs, pain flashing through him in bright red lights. He slammed an open palm down into the little drake's skull, his gloved hand burning like molten iron. The creature howled, releasing his sword and allowing him to kick himself off of Zevalhua, putting a good ten yards between them.

He placed a hand to the point he'd been struck, it came away bloody, he grinned. This was something, this was a _real_ opponent. He was on Zevalhua in a second, throwing his weight into a spinning strike. The goddess threw out her arm, and his sword dinged harmlessly off her flesh. He blinked. She chuckled.

"I had so much yet to teach you my dear, such a shame." Another strike, this time a hand lanced clean through his shoulder, he hissed in pain, and watched in irritation as the wound across her chest closed up; the Supreme grew stronger through defeating others. Thankfully, so did he. Fighting through the pain, Alpha angled his sword to drive into her side, she saw and twisted herself away, pulling her arm free of his shoulder with a sickening squish. He took advantage, using his now free arm to blast a wave of fire at her, the creatures beneath her quickly taxied her to the side of the strike. Alpha anticipated this, leaping to the same point, burying his blade into her heart. He missed the toss-up though, as in a mere second his blade was forced out of her chest as her body repaired itself, she smirked at him, holding a single arm out.

"Extension." The dark energy tore through him, blasting through his chest and out his back, leaving a gaping hole in his armor. He clutched the wound, shuddering at the pain. He spat up blood, then, with a snarl, he leapt forward, dodging around the barrage of dark energy, brandishing his blade high overhead.

"Lava Geiser!" The blade struck violently across Zevalhua's exposed flesh, she winced, a long, deep wound cut through to bone. The pain he inflicted rejuvenated Alpha, the hole in his chest closing up in seconds, flesh materializing spontaneously over it, leaving nary a scratch.

A goddess whose body could instantly repair certain damaged, against a disciple who drained the life force of those he attacked. Something was immediately apparent.

"This is going to take a while," they both said aloud. Their eyes met, soft smiles exchanged by both, they certainly didn't mind a good fight.

….

"So tell me Alpha, if you become the Supreme, what will you do first?" They'd been at it for what felt like hours now, it was good that they'd cleared the hall beforehand, as it was, they'd be bringing the whole palace down before the end. Craters riddled the walls where they'd struck or been struck into, cracks spider-webbing through the stones from there, crushed gray stone dust coating the otherwise polished blue stone of the tiled floor.

"First? Firstly I'm finding a new disciple, I'm not getting stuck for an eternity with _Mare_." Zevalhua smiled.

"I think it's an appropriate punishment for such insubordination," she joked. Alpha drew up a cloak of fire and brimstone around himself as the Supreme lashed out, she recoiled as her talons sank into the molten rock, hissing. He took the chance, chopping down with his sword, slicing into her shoulder. Alpha grinned delightedly as the wound failed to heal, black blood beginning to flow from the gash.

"Ha ha! Your strength failing you mistress? Don't worry, I'll make this quick."

"Maybe," she grimaced, clutching the wound tenderly, "I've no desire to be left alone with Mare either in truth." Alpha smiled now, preparing to launch into a final offensive, when a shrill cry suddenly wrenched his ears. He stopped in his tracks when he suddenly heard the sound of tearing flesh. He glanced down to find an elaborate spearhead jutting from the center of his chest, all covered in black blood. Looking behind him, he found none other than Mare standing there, eyes wide with shock at him.

"Ahem," he calmly pulled himself down the haft of the spear, a slick, cringe-worthy noise accompanying the movement, continuing until he reached her hands at its hilt. He glared naked daggers down at Mare, who whimpered audibly, cowering and releasing her grip on the spear. "Can I help you?"

"Uh, I...I was just…"

" _Oh my child, born a fool_ ," Zevalhua began saying, but neither disciple heard her.

"You were just, what Mare!?"

"I was….taking the opportunity?"

"To what!? To kill me? Does honor you!?"

"No light can save you now," the Supreme continued.

"I didn't think you'd be so…" Mare gulped, "resilient."

"Yeah," Alpha reached around his back, pulling the spear the remainder of the way through his chest. "Not many do, now, go to the corner, and wait!" He thrust the bloody spear into her hands, shoving her away.

"KNEEL BEFORE ME!"

"Alright now Mistress I appologi-"

"GLORIOUS!" Alpha turned back to Zevalhua, only to be met with a solid wall of black energy, for a brief moment it was brutal, indomitable agony, but then there was quiet, and he was falling, his sword tumbling from his grasp. And he just kept falling, falling, falling without end, to darkness.

….

"What are you doing with my disciple you glorified usher?"

"Why Zevalhua, I thought you'd like the corpse removed from your hall, I was doing you a favor darling." Karna Masta's lieutenant, Lucius had entered the hall at some point during their fight, Alpha's body had tumbled through one of his mysterious gates, by now he could be anywhere. Zevalhua held no ill will that he'd sought to kill her, and she wouldn't tolerate disrespect to him, not even if he was already dead, which she doubted, she'd taught him better than to die so easily.

"I know you better than that Lucius, always playing the innocent lap dog card you are. Even if Karna Masta himself buys into it I see the vulture in you, there's always something to be gained when you act. So let's have it, if you're going to steal my disciple away from me, before he can face atonement, then you'd better have a damned good reason, else we'll see just how much you're truly worth to the Almighty." Lucius placed a hand to his chest, feigning offense.

"Zevalhua! Darling, I thought we had something here, you were always my favorite too. What's that iron doormat got that I don't?"

"Shall we start with his face? Seems a good place to begin."

"Ooooh, scathing, you come up with that one yourself dear?"

"Honor."

"Even among thieves there is some trace of honor Zevalhua, don't mistake my aspirations for a cold blooded attitude. And come now, at the very least I have personality, can you say the same for your disciple? Honor will only get you so far when you're only capable at cutting people open." Zevalhua crossed her arms, the beasts at her hips snarling at Lucius.

"You're dodging."

"Yes I suppose I am, well, because you're my favorite," Zevalhua rolled her eyes, "I've my eyes set on the throne, now unfortunately I can't be quite so elegant as ole' fire n' brimstone was with you, so I've a bit of a circuitous route to get there." Lucius paused a moment, bowing deeply to the Supreme, "God's honor, you'll never hear from him again, your throne is safe my dear." Zevalhua glared at Lucius for a moment, furrowing her brow in frustration as she sighed. Alpha had been with her for centuries, she was just getting used to his gruff attitude as well. But nobody was worth a confrontation with the Almighty over, and she couldn't exactly take extensive action to get him back, she was the Supreme, she had appearances to maintain. She could only hope that wherever the viper had sent him to, that he would fare better than he would in her care. Perhaps this was better, he never got a chance to go out and fight like he so loved to do, maybe he'd find his equal at last. She smiled to herself as her mind conjured images of Alpha locked in combat with the other disciples of The Ten, he'd always expressed interest in combating them, but had been unable to. Maybe he'd meet someone like them.

"Fine, we'll have it your way, now get out of my sight you worthless sack of flesh and feathers, you trespass in the halls of The Supreme." Lucius bowed, chuckling lightly to himself, none too self-satisfied, before opening another of his gates, and stepping through it, allowing the gate to wink out of existence.

"Oh Mistress?" The timid voice stirred Zevalhua from her brooding state, her thoughts taken off Alpha as she glanced down her nose at Mare, spear clutched triumphantly in one hand, a cold smile twisting her lips as she bowed.

"Yes?" She wasn't going to give Mare the satisfaction of an introduction, she wanted the girl to squirm. Her eyes widened for the breadth of a second, obviously Mare was expecting something more, she continued a bit less confidently.

"Well I..since Alpha's gone now I-" Zevalhua held up a hand to silence her.

"Now, just because my old disciple is now lost to us, does not mean that I am suddenly strained for power, when a shark escapes back into the sea I'll not be found pining for the first trout that flops its way onto my deck. Do not assume yourself in any standing with me, _Mare_." The demon frowned for a second, irritated but unwilling to point out a mistake. Zevalhua sincerely hoped she did.

"A-actually Mistress, it's Müdr-"

"I'm sure it _was_ , but you forsook the privilege of title when you took up arms against Alpha all that time ago, and he told you that you may only earn that honor back by defeating him in single combat. What I witnessed today was not honorable single combat, and it was not you who vanquished him, so now you may forever bear your new title demon, forevermore, you are _Mare_." Zevalhua took great pleasure in watching Mare's expression sink as she spoke, defeat so thoroughly etched in every detail of her face, it had been awhile since she'd thoroughly broken a disciple, perhaps it was time to return to that…

…

When Alpha awoke, it was curiously not on the cold stone of the Netherrealm as he'd anticipated finding himself, but rather he was floating, floating through some endless white void. It stretched out in all directions, completely empty, he couldn't will himself to move anywhere, he was simply locked, frozen on a course through the void, without scenery, without company, without anything. It was certainly...much different, than he'd imagined dying would feel like. Not altogether unpleasant, he could get used to it. After all, how many thousands of years could he simply float there before he was reborn? He could wait.

"Why hello child." Alpha couldn't turn himself to see the source of the voice, but he recognized its silky tones well enough.

"Lord Lucius, I wouldn't have suspected that you'd die as well." The god chuckled, drifting into Alpha's line of sight, that celestial light that was Lucius' face seeming to outshine the very void around them.

"Oh ho ho, you aren't dead, dear Alpha. No, I'd never let something like death come to claim you, you were my favorite you know." Alpha couldn't help but feel a bit exasperated, he'd often wondered why his mistress seemed to resent working with Karna Masta's lieutenant so much, he could see why now.

"So where am I then?"

"Ah yes, this is one of my personal little realms of existence, you passed through one of my gates you see, I needed to chat with you personally, and seeing as you weren't exactly winning that little skirmish with Lady Zevalhua, I didn't think you'd mind terribly." Alpha nearly spat at him, rage suddenly gripping him, but his muscles wouldn't obey him as he willed his body forward, to do anything to lash out.

"You took me from my battle!? You make me look a coward Lucius! I am not he who would run from his fate, yet you would take me so that all may think me such?" He heard the god sigh, placing a hand daintily to the light that was his face.

"Ah yes, you warrior types and your unto-death attitudes. Well, luckily for you dear Alpha, you will have a second chance, an opportunity not only to banish any such rumors that arise, but another chance to defeat Zevalhua for the throne of the Supreme." Alpha shut his mouth at the mention of that, and Lucius chuckled softly to himself, he had the disciple now. "Why yes, think of this not as me ferrying you away from danger, think not of it as running away, I want you to see this as a training opportunity. You see I'm going to be bringing you to the realm of demons, Ishgria, where you will be able to train to your heart's content, and recover from your considerable battle damage. In time, I will return to collect you, and I will see that you are prepared to dethrone Zevalhua, and claim that seat which is rightfully yours." Alpha's eyes looked down, mulling over the offer, fighting with himself.

"You seek to bribe me, you want something that my mistress won't allow you."

"What does it matter to you as long as you get what you want?" Alpha sighed, he didn't very well think there was anything for it anyway, he was at the god's mercy here, he couldn't escape on his own, and even if he did, there was no guarantee it would be to the realm of the gods.

"Very well, I accept your offer." Lucius' light seemed to brighten a bit, as if the god were smiling.

"Excellent, I knew you'd see reason Alpha. I do believe this will be goodbye then, I wish you the very best down below." Alpha raised an eyebrow, confused.

"Below?" Rather than answer him, one of Lucius' gates merely opened up beneath Alpha's body, and he felt himself being pulled towards it, until he broke free of the strange gravity of the void around him, only to begin a plunge straight down into the unknown realm of Ishgria, far, far below.

The gate winked out of existence, leaving Lucius alone one more. He hummed happily to himself, satisfied.

"Two down then, two more to go."

 **HEY!**

Evenin' everybody! I'm quite happy to add Alpha's part of the tale to the fold here, it was quite fun envisioning a battle between two fighters that both restore their health through combat in some way so I definitely had fun while writing this. As always, if you have the time I'd love to hear from you in the comments, leave your thoughts on the story, my writing, what you like and what you don't, the works. Until next time folks, when I'll be bringing you the story, of **The Creator** , look forward to it. Good day all!


	3. The Creator

**The Creator**

"Gods damned...honestly how did he even...swear on Maxwell I'll kill them when I find them..AND A GOAT!?" Kanon, disciple of the Creator, was very busy tending to the latest in disasters left in the wake of...something, he could only assume it was Tazer, it usually was, and given the very nature of this one, it was a safe bet. He'd been making his usual rounds, considering topics like molecular fusion, and how he might go to some lengths to teach it to the mortals that they might develop better hygienics, when he'd encountered it. A solid block of water, spanning the entire length of a hallway, simply suspended there. All manner of filth swam through it, food, fish, an entire shark, he'd even glimpsed a sea dragon at one point. It had taken him the better part of an hour merely to dissolve the enchantment around the water, which he'd immediately regretted.

It had poured out, absolutely flooding the halls adjacent, leaving him with hours of work to slave over. Vaporizing the water had been a grueling task in and of itself but now he'd gotten to the base, and he could now deal with all the flotsam that was now left flopping and gasping on the floor. The head of his golden spear had been swapped for a head of stiff straw as he willed it around, sweeping the disgusting sea life from the ground, a small feather duster also suspended by his telekinetic power was eagerly dusting away at the paintings hanging on the walls, trying to restore their natural beauty.

"You're thinking out loud again Sir Kanon." Kanon turned, eyeing the sea dragon before him before resuming his work.

"Apologies Zerafalgar, i don't mean to be rude, I just...I can't believe all this mess. This was Tazer you say?" The dragon nodded, locking its massive jaws around the goat that had somehow been suspended in the water with him, he'd been gnawing at the creature for hours and still hadn't left a mark in it, it simply hung in his teeth, bleating happily.

"Indeed, he took me from my lair to fight me here, but he hadn't even the respect to call me by my name!" The dragon ground its teeth into the goat's impenetrable neck again, its deep booming voice caused Kanon's armor to rattle, and the fish he was sweeping up to flop into the air with every word. "Kept referring to me as some...Felneus or some other, do you by chance know who that even is?" Kanon thought to himself for a moment, then shifted his armor a bit to simulate a shrug.

"I think he might have been popular in a bygone era, but the name carries no relevance now."

"And when - not to be rude of course - but, when may I leave?" Kanon sighed.

"I shall see perhaps if Lucius could accommodate you, send you somewhere like Ishgria where you'll be free to roam, away from those like Tazer."

"That would be delightful, this is the second time he's tried to kill me." Yes, Kanon thought to himself, that's definitely Tazer.

"No need to wait for him, I can send you somewhere." Both Kanon and Zerafalgar turned to find Maxwell, the Creator herself approaching. Her feet were bare, her silver hair bound back in a small bun. She wore her usual black and gold coat, striking quite the image standing there.

"MISTRESS!" Kanon cried out in his mind, trying none-too subtly to vaporize the cleaning implements he was using without her noticing.

"Ah, blessings upon you Lady Maxwell, I apologize profusely for the inconvenience," the water dragon intoned, munching lazily on the goat's head. Maxwell chuckled.

"Oh it's no trouble, it's always nice seeing my subjects every once in awhile." She smiled charmingly at Zerafalgar, but her cold yellow eyes were trained on Kanon as she said it. The disciple gulped nervously.

"Oh bless you Lady Maxwell, bless-" with the faintest popping sound, the dragon vanished. Maxwell turned to face Kanon, who tried his damnedest to think about whistling.

"Kan-"

"I WASN'T CLEANING!" Maxwell folded her arms, raising an eyebrow. Kanon wilted, his eyes downcast. "I was cleaning." Shaking her head, Maxwell sighed.

"Kanon, tell me, how long have you been cleaning?" Kanon's eyes flitted upwards for a moment, considering his answer.

"I believe I began about six hours ago now, between the sea life and the stains in the carp-"

"No, no Kanon I meant, how long have you been cleaning?"

"I'm...I'm not quite sure I understand Maxwell." The creator sighed, fixing Kanon with big, wounded eyes.

"When I chose you as my disciple, it was so very nice Kanon, for once I truly had company in my existence, somebody to speak with, you've no idea just how short for company the creator of the known world can receive. And then you started with this cleaning." She flashed a coy smile at him. "I didn't need assistance with my work, believe it or not I kept you around for your sterling conversation skills. You were so unlike anyone else I'd ever encountered, infallibly loyal, yet thoroughly unaffected by the presence and allure of power. Now you can hardly seem to keep a thought in your head for more than a minute before a stain on the other end of the world takes your attention. Just how long has it been as such?" Kanon frowned, he couldn't even remember a time when he wasn't like this.

"Centuries at least Maxwell."

"Indeed, too long Kanon. I'd like for you to return to the old Kanon. Come, follow me."

"But Maxwell, there's still-"

"Leave it," she demanded, a hard edge in her soft voice. "You've other duties to attend to." Kanon wanted to protest, to at the very least finish where he was, but he knew better than to fight Maxwell in these matters.

"Yes Maxwell…"

…..

The Great Library of the Gods was an overwhelming place to be in, leagues upon leagues of rows of shelves, all stacked with every word ever recorded in all of creation, with more being written and delivered with every passing moment. One could be lost to eternity in its depths, it was enough to drive someone mad.

"There, you see Kanon?" Maxwell chided him, taking a bundle of scrolls in her arms to an empty shelf, her twin pet dragons each beside her, ferrying a pile of leather tomes on their backs. "Isn't this nice?" Kanon didn't even notice, his mind focused on keeping dozens of books and tablets and scrolls moving in different directions to their exact alphabetical locations. Books whizzed by him faster than the eye could process, each suspended in a faint golden haze by his powers, books being pulled off carts to go into shelves, being pulled off shelves for being in incorrect order or an improper section, reorganized to Kanon's insatiable will. He couldn't even focus on any of it either, as his mind kept being drawn unwillingly back to the hallway, who was even going to tend to that mess? The other disciples were mysteriously vanishing, the Ten had better things to do than clean up after others, that stain might very well be there forever. It would set into the carpet, the fish would die, odors would spread, it would become utterly intolerable. His eyes twitched slightly as he considered such a possibility, Maxwell took notice."Kanon? Kanon dear are you quite alri-"

"MISTRESS MAXWELL, PERMISSION TO GO BACK AND DISPOSE OF THE MESS I'D BEEN TENDING TO!" The goddess rolled her eyes, blowing out her cheeks.

"Denied, you're staying here Kanon." The disciple swore, out loud by the look Maxwell gave him. The neverending supply of text to be stored was very quickly grating on Kanon's sanity.

"Maxwell, not for nothing, but don't you have anything better to be doing than serving as some common librarian?" Maxwell shrugged, standing on her toes to push a scroll into the top shelf of the row.

"I'm the Creator Kanon, my job was done shortly after it began, I need something to entertain me. Besides, where better to survey the work of my creation than in their written word?" Kanon sighed, willing the texts around him to move even faster towards their destinations, desperately trying to use all the ink and paper to bury that damned hallway and it's horrific mess.

"Have you no desire to go to the meetings of the Ten now, to try and sway them against this war with the humans? There is time yet, it's never too late to consolidate peace." Maxwell was already shaking her head.

"It's simply not in my nature Kanon, I'm not one so confrontational." She leaned against the bookshelf, her eyes heavy with sorrow as she spoke. "I am the single being that represents something positive, the creation of life, among a spawn of beings of ruthless ambition, negativity, and power beyond either of us, the Malevolent, the Supreme, the Beast God, and beyond. I cannot see myself to interfering in this war, as I love my children, and humanity has made its own decision to challenge its creators, who am I to interfere in a decision of such magnitude?" She traced a lazy finger across the chins of her little dragons, who curled protectively around her arms. "We can only see to it that those who stay loyal to the gods are rewarded in death Kanon. And I know you may not understand this, but there is a...matronly bond that I share with all my children, nobody wants to be the mother whose children tore the world apart, but it is their will, and I possess not the strength or the sway to move either side of this war away from this path."

Kanon's breathing was heavy, wishing to remain respectful of his mistress' wishes, but having difficulty containing himself. His work accelerated even further, books speeding past quick enough to take someone's head off. He wracked his brain, seeking to find something that would break the tension between them.

"Maxwell, isn't there some more...expedient methods of sorting these?" Maxwell shot him a bitter look, miffed. Obviously not the right thing to say.

"It's just fine like this, it's good enough Kanon." Kanon's expression twisted, not wanting to upset his dear mistress further, but something in him snapped.

"Good enough? Good...Enough? What, just like it's good enough having the Creator become a glorified librarian!?" Maxwell raised a finger to argue, but Kanon didn't stop. "Lady Maxwell, I am Kanon, bearer of the Demon Pike Drevas, holder of the cosmic dust of creation, I am not a man who deals in 'good enough's, I am a man that deals in absolutes! Good enough, left my breakfast this morning slightly undercooked. Good enough, has left my room on an eternal two inch asymmetry that has ground down my very sanity over several millennia. Good enough, let the demons break through to Grand Gaia during the Great Invasion!"

"I'm sensing a tone shift here Kan-"

"Good enough has seen the entire Palace at the whim of Cardes because nobody will face him. Good enough, left us in a state of political stagnation, bringing us to ruin due to a flawed hierarchy! Good enough, left the humans with the capacity to be corrupted by ambition, and left them with the desire to usurp their masters. Good enough, made an imperfect being! Good enough, Gave. Us. This. War!" Maxwell closed her eyes, her brow furrowing in obvious, silent rage. Her breathing hitched, her lip, quivering the slightest bit.

"Kanon, w...where did this all come from?" She wasn't particular to where this was going, she met his eyes with her golden gaze, her eyes had a glassy film over them. Kanon was beyond the ability to care at the moment though.

"This has been stewing for a considerable amount of time Lady Maxwell, I have had a tremendous lot distracting me however, people seem to think it good enough to leave things in disarray on a daily basis merely because 'Surely Kanon will fix it!'" Maxwell bit her lip, steadying herself before she spoke again.

"I see, I always knew you were burdened by heavy topics, I didn't think it was to quite this degree though. So, what exactly are you telling me Kanon?" Her voice was strained, she was trying to keep strong, trying to seem intimidating, dangerous, but she was failing herself.

"I'm saying that your creation is flawed mistress, and I believe it's time that somebody like myself took the reins of creation, and steered us all away from calamity." Maxwell's eyes flashed gold for a moment as she drew herself up to her full five foot height, her head just barely clearing Kanon's chest.

"So what you're telling me Kanon," Maxwell sniffled slightly, getting a firm grip on herself, and snapped her fingers. In an instant the library around them had vanished, and they were standing in front of the gate leading to the hall of the Creator, it's pearly white gate inlaid with six massive gems representing the kingdoms of Grand Gaia. "Is that you wish to challenge me for my position." Kanon paused, his heart pumping like mad for the first time in what felt like an eternity. He'd not considered the prospect of actually fighting her, could he bring himself to raise arms against his beloved mistress? He'd need to, she'd never simply relinquish her title to him, she was never one to back down and surrender. Could he win if he did?

"No no no no no no no! You misunderstand me Maxwell," Kanon replied anxiously, sweat beading on his forehead. Maxwell crossed her arms, quite clearly furious. "I'm no fighter, I'm a guardian of those I am tasked with presiding over." She cocked an eyebrow at him, incredulous, tears still staining her dainty cheeks. She spun on her heels, her bare feet kicking sharply into the gate before them, the doors swinging wide open at the blow, she strolled in, Kanon hovering close behind.

"Really? Name one thing that you've properly defended Kanon, please, I'm curious." Kanon looked wounded for a moment, taken aback by the accusation in her voice.

"Well for one, I keep the Demon Pike Drevas just as you requested, I keep it at my side at all times." Maxwell bristled at the name, scowling when Kanon produced it from his person. In Kanon's care, the demon sealed within had been so long starved for power that the spear resembled little more than an overgrown toothpick now. Maxwell's eyes flashed gold at the sight of it.

"THIS!? The worthless lance has been what you've prioritized safeguarding over all your other duties? Over staying by my side?"

"Well yes Maxwell, as per your request, I've kept it so that no other soul would be forced to lay a hand on its cursed stee-"

"Kanon, we're GODS! I needed you to keep it for a day at most while a chamber was prepared to store it! He's naught more than a worthless demon, how could his feeble will ever corrupt a god?" Kanon looked crushed, his purpose suddenly gone from his eyes.

"But-"

"But nothing!" Maxwell flicked her wrist, and a blast of wind swept through the hall, tearing Drevas free of Kanon's tethers, sending the Demon Pike sailing, crashing through one of the windows along the far wall, and plummeting down to the world of Grand Gaia far below. Kanon's eyes twitched, his anger piqued, his entire frame actually began to shake.

"That….was my ONE, JOB! My most sacred of tasks! Are you so callous!?" Maxwell conjured her floating platform around her lower half, her twin dragons speeding to her side, her spear locked between their jaws. She was prepared for battle then, nothing else for it. Her cheeks were still streaming with fresh tears, but the look that she gave him was one of bitterness, of rage, a look of wounded betrayal.

"Are you!? In these past few minutes you've slandered everything good I've ever done Kanon. And then you failed at the only task you believed you've ever had." Her voice was dripping with scorn as she all but spat out," it's okay though, you did good enough!"

Kanon's eyes began to seethe with blue light, his fury evident. His wings unfurled, lightning began crackling over his frame, dancing over his brilliant gold armor as he summoned his own spear to his side.

"Maxw...Creator," Maxwell's expression softened for the briefest second, then she took a firm grip on her weapon, preparing herself, "this day, you've sealed your fate. En Guarde!"

…..

 _Meanwhile, on the surface world_

 _of Grand Gaia_

"Stupid mom and dad, trying to tell me what I can and can't do, I'm thirteen dang it!" Lance of the Vrikshan Principality lamented, lying back over a large tree stump, mulling over the turn his day had taken. The gods were primed to invade the country, he wanted to be able to defend his homeland, but his parents were hearing none of what he proposed. He only wanted to start training to be able to join the army, but they looked at him like he'd proposed summoning a demon upon the house. "'Ah, but Lance darling, you've never met the gods, they're liable to pluck you right off the front lines for some manner of eternal hell, no son of mine is getting involved in something like that. No no no no no, you have to stay right here at home, learn to run the house, drink tea, dress like a snob, enjoy entitlement while the peasants pave a bridge of corpses to a world of peace.' Bah, stupid!"

"Can't join the army, I could buy the army! Where would they find me if I left there on my own, who could say no to me?" He placed a hand to his chin, concentrating deeply. "I could run away, fake name and a new haircut would make sure they never find me, maybe spiky hair, yeah, now that'd get at them." A smile spread over his face as he leapt up to his feet, revitalized. "Yeah! That's what I'm gonna do! So now I just gotta get my hands on a sword…" A flock of crows suddenly erupted from the canopy high overhead, the many trees of the forest around his family's estate swaying in the wind they whipped up at their flight. He cocked his head, wondering what had them all riled up, when a green bolt flashed from the sky, plummeting from high above the cloudline right for the forest. The green light flew straight down into the treeline, landing somewhere else in the forest with a sound like blasting thunder, a shockwave of dust and dirt flying up into Lance's face even with the huge distance between him and it. Not about to let such an occurrence pass him by, Lance made a mad dash for the crash site to investigate.

He pushed past layers of foliage, gasping at the sight before him once he'd reached the site. There was a crater! An entire ring of trees, some twenty meters across, had all been completely uprooted from the force of the impact, piled around one another and forming a dense barricade for Lance to scale over. At its center, embedded in the soft earth, was a solitary pike. Its surface was like polished silver, the crossguard a silvery green. Lance gaped in awe of the weapon, approaching it tentatively. He was about halfway down into the crater when he suddenly heard a voice.

 ** _Yes...YES! At last! I'm free of that fool, after all these centuries spent without nourishment. Now I just need to see what's in the area to….oh...ho ho….HAHAHAHAHAHA! The bumbling fool! The World Tree! He's brought me right to it! I can use the plant life around here to reach it, and once I sink my claws into it….the world will be mine. The gods shall tremble before me! Grand Gaia will fall! Ishgria will be mine! DREVAS THE MIGHTY SHALL I BE! VICTORY IS WITHIN MY GRASP!_**

"Now what are you?" Lance muttered to himself, examining the pike up close, the voice sounded like it was coming from within, but surely he was imagining it.

 ** _W...what? There's another power besides the World Tree...it's incredibly weak…is it a human!? No, not after so many years, I will not be bound to a soul so weak after so many yea-AH!_**

"Well a pike's kind of like a sword I suppose," Lance exclaimed, easily pulling the weapon free of the earth it was buried in, admiring the craftsmanship up close now.

 ** _DAMMIT! NO! LET ME GO THIS INSTANT YOU WORTHLESS MORTAL!_**

"Awfully talkative for a pike though...don't think that's normal….What's your name eh?"

 ** _I AM THE DEMON DREVAS! SPAWN OF THE WULGEE FIELDS! HE WHO CONSUMES ALL! THE DEFILER! THE BLIGHTER! UNHAND ME!_**

Lance hissed slightly as a ring of thorns sprung forth from the handle of the pike, sinking into the flesh of his palms, two small vines sprung from the metal, coiling around his wrist, pulling it taut against the pike itself.

 _ **NO! I CANNOT BE BOUND TO ANOTHER! NOT WHEN VICTORY IS SO CLOSE!**_

"Well I guess I can't very well walk back to home like this...guess I'm running away then. Alright Drevas, off to join the army! We got a war to win!"

 _ **W….war? There will be...others? Mortal blood to slake my thirst...to grow my influence...I can do that I supp-**_

"Well maybe, we don't really know if the war's going to happen at all right now, but we'll be ready!"

 _ **I...I see….so you shall be training around others yes? You shall fight, and I will grow my power through the life force I will drink from their pun-**_

"Nah, I'm too young to officially join the army. I got three years yet. So until then, we're gonna train, I can probably make up some straw dummies or something. But until then, complete isolation!"

 _ **I….I am going to eat you….I don't know who you are-**_

"Lance's the name!"

 _ **But I am going to eat you so hard. One day I will free myself from this disgusting prison, I will walk the earth again, and then, when I'm staring at your broken, mutilated body beneath my feet, I am going to laugh, and then I am going to eat you.**_

"That's the spirit! Now c'mon Drevas! Time to begin our life together." Silence. "Drevas….buddy?"

 _ **GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!**_

….

"Why don't you just die already!" Kanon screamed as Maxwell rose back to her feet for the third time, her form trembling for a moment before returning to her position hovering in the air, seemingly unfazed. He screamed, willing his spear down from on high, seeking to impale Maxwell from above, but her twin dragons batted aside his weapon with a mere flick of their tails. In retaliation, Maxwell pulled back her arm, her spear glowing its distinctive white-blue, then sending it flying at her disciple. Kanon's wings drew up around him, taking the spear directly, the projectile exploded on contact, the force of the blast flattening him against the roof of the hall. He dropped like a sack of stones towards the ground below, only just recovering enough to open his wings at the last second, pulling out of the dive in the nick of time.

He stood there, in the middle of the hall, panting for breath as Maxwell hung over him, her golden eyes sad but judging at the same time, damning him. He was tired of seeing those eyes, tired of the judgement, sick of the gut-wrenching pain she was causing him. He was tired of the judgement, tired of having to fight her, angry that this was the only way to accomplish what needed to be done. He squared his shoulders, preparing his spear for another assault.

 _ **GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!**_

Kanon stopped, his brow furrowed. "D...Drevas?"

"Oh dear Kanon," she sniffed again, apparently thoroughly spent with her sorrow, her grip tightened around her spear. "I should annihilate you, not even a sliver of your soul shall remain, you who have scorned me, you who seek to dethrone me, you shall meet your end here, to the endless power of the Creator!" She cast out her hands, her eyes no longer simply addressing Kanon, she looked as if she was speaking to a crowd before her. Dark wisps of power, bolts of both light and darkness burst forth from her being, turning the very air dark with power, raging like a storm of savage wind, the power seeking to overwhelm Kanon, to bleed him of his life, little by little, a constant presence that got heavier and heavier as the moment dragged on. Maxwell spoke again, her voice seeming to be magnified a hundredfold. "Hear me, Restorer of Life. Defiler, I see you for! My child, My Creation! Whom thou wouldst turn against me! I AM MAXWELL! Let forth the God of Destruction!"

Kanon stood his ground against the attack, the power whipping past him like a razor wind, not budging an inch. Kanon's very form felt like it was tearing at the seams, like the attack was upon his very essence. He gave one final look at Maxwell, at the determination, but ultimate distress that rose in her eyes, she didn't wish this upon him, or anyone, neither of them were violent, the battle was a means to a misbegotten end. It was thus, that he lost his will to fight any longer, he could fight it, he could continue the infernal dispute, but it was pointless, he didn't wish to harm her, he didn't have it in him anymore. He surrendered himself to the currents, smashing him back against the far wall, where he slumped to the floor in defeat. It felt like an eternity longer, but the assault finally ended, his spear dropped to the ground in front of him, his focus finally breaking as grief overtook him.

"I'm….I'm sorry Maxwell...I failed you as your disciple...I failed at my task, I failed at all I set out to do…I merely wanted to see the world free of all this accursed fighting...but I didn't wish to harm you...you mean too much to me...my life is yours, do with it as you will…" Maxwell's platform dissolved around her, her snakes coiling around her arms as she approached him, her feet bare feet's light padding over the marble floors like the clap of thunder to Kanon's ears, judgement coming. He willed his spear to rise once more, floating into her hands before he relinquished control of it, closing his eyes as he awaited the final stroke.

His spear split into the floor beside him, he looked up at Maxwell, at her full height she finally could make eye contact with his slumped form. She'd found more room to cry as her arms suddenly snaked around his neck, pulling him close. His first compulsion was to shy away, cognizant of the germs the contact was likely spreading to his figure, but he fought to bury that feeling, merely relishing the exchange, for the first time in an eternity cursing the armor he wore, for he couldn't return the embrace.

"For the m..most intelligent being I've ever encou-" Maxwell's voice peaked, she paused a moment, laughing lightly to herself before continuing," I've ever encountered...you can be such a fool Kanon. I don't want to hurt you dear, I care too much about you." Kanon didn't know what to say, but he finally stopped thinking about the stains in the carpeted hallway, about the cluttered library, about all the wrongs he'd done to the phenomenal goddess with him, and spoke freely.

"I don't deserve your kindness Maxwell, I've done nothing but harm you as of late...and yet you cling still to the good times and wish to spare me, I'm not worthy of such an act."

"Oh but Kan-"

"But," he stopped her," I will do everything in my power from here on out to serve you as best I can, while there is still one bastion of benevolence in you Maxwell, I will do all I can to preserve that." Maxwell broke into a fresh fit of sobs, she pulled away from Kanon to look him in the eyes, the blacks of her eyes were shot through with red, she smiled at him, genuine joy brimming in her for the first time in a long time.

"Nothing would make me happier Kanon. I l-"

Before she could finish her statement however, Kanon's eyes went wide with shock, seeming to collapse inwards as if he'd been struck. His form distorted, seeming to fade before her very eyes, her arms fell to her sides as all that was solid turned to vapor right before her. She could still make him out, he appeared frozen in time, locked in that pained position, his entire body nearly transparent. A brilliant white light erupted from the wall behind him, forcing her to shield her eyes for a moment. When she turned back, there was a large, rainbow gate there, Kanon's ethereal form moved back, fading into the gate, in seconds gone from existence as the gate merely winked away, as if neither had ever been there. Maxwell fell to her knees, her mind trying to process what had just happened.

"You know Maxwell, with the others I needed to use tact, exploit weakness, slip an idea into a certain ivy goddess' ear, but then I came to you, and I need none of those things." Maxwell's breathing quickened, her battle rage returning to her, dragons uncoiling from her arms to stand readily perched on her shoulders.

"Lucius….'Restorer of Life'...what do you want…?" She heard him chuckle, didn't have the nerve to turn around, to let him see her weakness.

"I have what I wanted, I was just merely taking a moment to bask in it. Poor little Maxwell, the forgotten Creator, I can just come in and snatch up your precious disciple, and nobody would ever pay you any mind. And you're too frightened of disturbing the order you tried to create to fight it, poor thing." She shuddered at his words, at the terrible truth in them. Her head smacked against the stone wall, and she let it lay there, broken, defeated, the only thing she still cared about literally passed through her fingers. She heard Lucius chuckle again, she didn't even dignify him with a rebuttal, just waited there until she was sure he was gone, not trusting herself to speak.

"Kanon…."

….

Kanon suddenly found himself plummeting from the sky, only the sky was red, which he was pretty sure wasn't supposed to be the case.

"What is this…" he thought aloud, his body still drained and wracked with pain after that attack from Maxwell. Oh gods, Maxwell…

"This is penance," he heard a voice respond to him, within his own mind much to his surprise, not many people could do that. "Your sins against your mistress will not go unpunished Kanon, so now, you shall brave the horrors of Ishgria, until your last dying day." Kanon couldn't quite muster up the energy to recognize the voice, but the message it conveyed seemed sensible enough, he'd been terrible to Maxwell, hurting her so much without even realizing it. He closed his eyes, embracing whatever fate was brought to him. His fall came to a rather abrupt halt however when he suddenly struck something, the ground he supposed, as even with his armor he felt the impact like a boulder ramming into him, he coughed blood, vision blurring.

Perhaps his penance would never come, maybe he'd just die here then, it would certainly spare him the pain of thinking of it any longer. He heard the crunching of stones, as if somebody were approaching, then a rush of icy cold, relieving all the pain that wracked his form, he shuddered awake. He wanted to scream. It was Tazer, a peculiar staff clutched in his hands, passing over Kanon's body.

"Hey there Kanon ole' buddy ole' pal ole' friend! How's it goin'!"

Kanon screamed.

...

 **Hey Howdy Hey Folks!**

Back again now with the tale of Kanon, for those of you who remember Kanon from his brief appearance in Mad Swordsman, I tried to bring him even better this time around. I feel that once we move into Ishgrian affairs, Kanon and Tazer's relationship will become very...interesting, but, that's for later! As ever, feel free to leave your feedback in the comments as far as what you think of the story and my writing and any suggestions you guys may have for anything. Be sure to check back soon for the (kinda) last of the disciples, in **The Holy Emperor**. Take care everyone, and have a happy Thanksgiving!


	4. The Holy Emperor

**The Holy Emperor**

 _How had it come to this?_

Feeva wandered aimlessly through the halls of the Palace of the Gods. Once those halls had housed countless gods, the epicenter of all creation, from here the world was created and managed. Now, it was a husk. The gods had gone to war, leaving the halls barren.

Lord Karna Masta had gone off to Lizeria with scarcely a word. She understood that he was older than creation itself, so it was only natural that he'd be abrasive around others, she just wished after several millennia that he was a little more trusting of her.

Being that he'd left that scum Lucius in charge, she was left with very little to actually do. Perhaps a visit to her fellows was in order.

She navigated her way through the endless halls to the Supreme. She banged her fist against the pitch black doors, waiting patiently. After a moment or so they creaked open the slightest bit. To her surprise, in the usual place of Alpha, answering the door was the demon servant Mare. Her hair was disheveled, her face marred with a plethora of bright red markings, hells the demon looked like she'd been _crying._

"Oh thank the heavens! You've come to take me away from her!"

"Uh, hello Mare, you seem a bit out of sorts, is everything alrigh-"

"PLEASE!" Mare cried, seizing Feeva by the neck of her dress, "I'll plead guilty to whatever charges you place on me, I'll admit to anything, I'm sorry I ever helped him!" Feeva frowned, trying to console the hysterical Mare.

"Easy Mare, easy! Relax! Who is 'him'?"

"I'm sorry Alpha!" Mare screamed, utterly terrified, "please come back! She's insane!"

"Oh Maaaare darling," Feeva heard Zevalhua call from within in a sing-song tone. "Don't think we're done here." Mare turned her head to Feeva, looking utterly helpless. She mouthed a silent, 'help me', when with a cry, she was suddenly pulled back inside, the door slamming shut behind her.

 _Alpha? Has he gone somewhere? Or was he taken…_ Feeva shook her head, dispelling the darker prospects that came to mind, no need to go accusing. She'd see how Zebra was holding up.

…

Feeva knocked on the tall silver doors leading to Cardes' new chambers. She kicked aside a handful of dried up, dead vines littered at the foot of the door. After several long moments there came a loud crash from within, accompanied by the sound of shattering porcelain. She turned to leave, not wishing to intrude, when the doors finally opened, a very haggard looking Zebra exiting. The demon had bags beneath his half-lidded, orange eyes. His more formal suit that he'd worn under Tora was exchanged for a ragged set of hooded robes that left his tattooed chest exposed.

"Ah mistress...er, Feeva. What do you require..er...want?"

"Just wanted to check in Zebra, see how you were holding up, well, without _her._ " The demon sighed, running a hand through his now greasy, disheveled white hair. Feeva gave him a worried look, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"It's difficult, I'll admit. Mistress Tora had a way about her that I certainly don't possess. She was also _actually_ able to handle Lord Cardes, I can't say the same of myself. He's taking it harder than I am actually, he's inconsolable!" He buried his face in his hands, taking a moment to collect himself.

"Wasn't _he_ the one to banish Tora in the first place?"

"Yes indeed madam, you heard right. You could say that my lord regrets the decision, though his grief it appears stems more from the fact that he cannot _find_ her now." Feeva frowned.

"Perhaps she's fled to the inner kingdoms for safety? The war is currently centered on the outer islands." Zebra shook his head.

"Nay, she's no longer in Grand Gaia, wherever she is, that's what has him so distraught, though he'll never admit to it." The remark was punctuated by another loud crash from within, making Zebra wince. "It would appear he's flipped the table again, I'll be spending the rest of the day cleaning that."

"No longer...how?" Zebra shrugged.

"She's simply vanished, we know not where or how, we only know that she was still in Lizeria. There are no known gates there either."

"Is that why Karna Masta left to go there?" Zebra nodded to her, brow furrowed as if this was old news.

"Indeed, from what he's divulged to Lord Cardes that's been relayed to me, he knows not what to expect, but he'd get to the bottom of it himself." Feeva kept herself from screaming as a very distinctive lack of a face came to mind. _Vanished without a trace?_ Immediately _after being banished? And Alpha as well?_

"Well I'll look into it, rest assured, and I'll let you know of anything that I manage to find." Zebra began to bow, but stopped himself, scowling.

"Old habits eh? Anyway, you have my thanks Feeva, I'll see to it that Cardes doesn't tear the Palace down." She smiled.

"Thank you Zebra, I'll see about getting Kanon to come help you, provided he's not halfway here already." Zebra thanked her again, but another roar from Cardes sent him scurrying, slamming the gate shut behind him.

…

She cursed herself, she'd told Zebra she'd find Kanon almost on instinct, but he too had up and vanished, 'without a trace'. Just like Tora. Just like Alpha as well it seemed. She neared the Hall of the Creator with a heavy heart, hoping against hope that Maxwell had calmed down since last she'd come to see her.

She hadn't.

The pearlescent gates were still cracked open by the exact hand's breadth she'd opened it last time, just enough for her to squeeze in. She did so now, knocking gingerly as she did so, as she knew the creator wouldn't answer. She was taken back by the chamber's interior.

Maxwell had been _cleaning._

The Creator was seated in her low, ornate throne, her gentle sobbing still filling the hall, as they had been for days now. But evidence of the bout that had supposedly occurred between Kanon and her had completely vanished, stones replaced, pillars re-erected, there wasn't even a single mote of dust. Feeva approached Maxwell as one would any sleeping beast, with careful steps and a gentle hand.

"Lady...Lady Maxwell?" The goddess continued her sobbing, making Feeva enormously uncomfortable. It felt like she was spying, listening in on an intensely personal moment, but at some point Maxwell needed to recover from this. "Lady Maxwell please." She placed a hand gently on Maxwell's shoulder, did the Creator actually need to eat that she suddenly felt so frail? The goddess jumped in her seat, startled, she looked at Feeva as if she'd sprung into existence before her very eyes.

"Oh goodness Feeva, don't startle me like that, please." Feeva knelt by Maxwell's side, placing a hand over her's, gazing into the goddess' golden, tear stained eyes. "Is there something that you need dear?" Feeva sighed, the compassion in the Creator's voice was palpable, loathe as she'd be to admit it, Maxwell _needed_ company.

"My lady, you really should consider looking for a new disciple," Feeva felt Maxwell stiffen at the comment, as she'd expected, she continued unabated. "It won't do for your well being to just mourn, Kanon would want you to be happy. I'm sure there are dozens of gods that would be more than willing to pledge themselves to you my lady." _Myself included given that Karna Masta just refuses to let me in._ She almost said it out loud, but stopped herself.

"No." Maxwell shook her head, not hesitating even for a moment to consider it. Feeva slumped, burying her face into the sleeve of Creator as she blew out a hot breath. "I realise that you only want the best for me Feeva, and I'm delighted that you care so much, you're a sweetheart, but I can't take another disciple, not after Kanon. I could never bring myself to replace him."

"Don't think of it as replacement milady, you'll never simply forget him, you'll just be finding someone else to, you know," Feeva suggested, glancing about the spotless room nervously, "clean for you." Her golden eyes widened, then narrowed in cold rage.

"Kanon was _not_ some janitor to be exchanged Feeva, it's…" she slouched in her throne, the anger leaving as quick as it had come, "he's more than that." Feeva's eyes darted around the room, she really didn't know how to handle the situation, she was no therapist. A bit awkward, she sat cross-legged by Maxwell's throne, leaving a comforting hand atop the goddess' own. Maxwell noticed, smiling softly as she sniffled, a few stray tears passing her defenses to stain her cheeks.

"He meant that much to you?" Maxwell nodded.

"Yes...Kanon was a stalwart companion Feeva, he may not have seemed like much to you, or anyone else, but he got me through each day sane." She smiled a wistful smile, then shot Feeva a sly look. "And you should've seen him before that armor, oh he was beautiful, with the kind of big, strong arms you could just fall asleep in. He never tried anything, but oh how I wish sometimes that he's just taken me and-"

"Lady Maxwell!" Feeva chided, utterly red-faced at the path the conversation had taken. Maxwell laughed, the first Feeva had heard from her in quite some time.

"Oh I apologize Feeva, oh look at you! You're so embarrassed! That's adorable. Ah but...I've just never had anyone that I can talk to like this, you must forgive me, I don't mean for you to feel so distressed." Now Maxwell placed a gentle hand on Feeva's arm, cooing softly as Feeva attempted to alleviate the burning in her cheeks. Her words clicked in Feeva's head once she'd calmed down, and the disciple had to do a double take. Maxwell tilted her head, worried. "Are you alright dear?"

"I'm your only female companionship here…" She stated flatly. Maxwell breathed a sigh of relief, chuckling as she nodded to Feeva. "I am so sorry my lady."

"Whatever for Feeva?"

"Because _I'm_ your only female companionship." Maxwell laughed again.

"Oh don't be sorry for me dear, I've got eternity." Her smile dropped, a stern expression overtaking her. "I'm sorry Feeva, but I don't think I can ever let another disciple walk these halls in Kanon's stead. It's fine though, perchance this is a penance of sorts, for my inaction, just letting this all take place…" Her face dropped again, this time to one of anger. "Maybe….after all he's taken from me though…" She stared critically at Feeva, then seized the disciple by her arms, drawing her in close. "Feeva, for me, put a knife in him." Feeva frowned, confused.

"Who is this 'Him' everybody keeps referring to? What are you talking about my lady?" Maxwell's face twisted a bit, as if she was frightened, but she fought through it.

"I think you already know dear, you believed it and you just didn't want to say it." Feeva gaped.

Kanon, Tora, Alpha, she'd not even seen Tazer in the past days either. The _disciples,_ next in line to godhood, just picked off. Gone without a trace. There was only one god with the power, the influence to keep Maxwell herself from directly saying it. Her hands balled into fists. The same god whom she shared discipleship with.

"Luc-" Maxwell held her hand out, her face a mask of grief, eyes darting around as if she herself were scared that the god might burst from the walls at any moment.

"Please, Feeva, leave me, do what you will with this. But if you go against him…"

"I'll kill him," Feeva assured. And Maxwell's face brimmed with emotion at her certainty. Filled with gratitude.

…

She'd abandoned all pretense now, breaking into a full run towards the Beast God's chambers. Her heart was pounding, Lucius would never have the gumption to go after her himself, but she had to make sure that Zurg was safe. She burst through the tall gates into the dense forest of Alfa Dilith's halls, and immediately she was almost run down by a horde of the mysterious elephants that roamed some of Grand Gaia's more obscure islands.

Dazed and confused, Feeva looked around, finding a plethora of the beasts, and all manner of others stomping around, an air of delight about all of them. In her wanderlust, she didn't even take notice of Zurg until she'd walked right into him, the hard wall of muscle not even budging against her.

"Lady Feeva," he addressed formally, in a far more somber tone than he'd normally use. He wasn't even wearing his usual formal attire, standing there bare, his muscular body gleaming in a primal light.

"Zurg!" Feeva leapt back to her feet, relief washing over her, "you're alright! And you're out of uniform….and you have a hole in your chest…" Zurg bowed his head, clearly not entirely used to his current situation either.

"Indeed, Lord Alfa Dilith wagered that it would seem intimidating, I feel very...exposed, but these are his wishes. How can I help you today?"

"Why exactly are all these...creatures, here?" Feeva asked, forgetting her task for a moment as a large, four legged beast bumped against her, its frame crackling with electricity, its hair a wild, unkempt mane that tickled Feeva as it passed. It's pure white eyes gleamed with joy as it made a strained, choking sound.

"Greetings two-legger!" It crackled happily, "today is a joyous occasion is it not? Finally, the scourge of the wild has been defeated!" With a grunt, the creature took off into a full trot into the trees, leaving Feeva a bit disoriented. She turned back towards Zurg, seeking an explanation.

"Ah yes, well Lord Alfa Dilith is celebrating you see, the self-proclaimed 'lord of the hunt' Tazer and his associate Quartz have both been dealt with, gone forever now. I can't quite say that I've ever seen my master so...ecstatic, that he'd allow so great a following into his home."

"Ah Feeva! Disciple of Karna Masta, come, come!" She heard Alfa Dilith's booming voice rang through the hall. She navigated the thick packs of animals along the way, Zurg following close behind as they approached the Beast God. Alfa Dilith's normal toga that he kept pinned around himself was forgone in favor of a rich green fabric that clung close to his form, which glistened with a thick layer of sweat, dampening the cloth and lending him the savage appearance that was his namesake. Despite that though, he looked invigorated, more alive than Feeva had ever seen him.

"Lord Alfa Dilith, a pleasure as always. You know, the others of the Ten are all quite out of sorts of late, secluding themselves... "

"And I can't fathom why!" Alfa Dilith responded, jovial, "do you not feel like the sky has just been brighter these past few days? The air fresher dear Feeva?" Feeva glanced over her shoulder at Zurg, who blew out his cheeks, recognizing the absurdity of his master's behavior.

"Well you see my lord, there's been some incidents. The disciples of the Ten have come under attack in the past few days, I came merely out of concern for Zurg. I suspect a traitor." The demon straightened at this, his face growing serious.

"You mean Lucius." It wasn't a question, Feeva gave Zurg a look of surprise.

"How did you-"

"I was there, he took Tazer away from me himself, he was extremely insistent, actually going to the lengths of inflicting bodily harm on me," Zurg held his arm out, displaying a bright red mark like a claw burnt deep into the flesh of his wrist. "It wasn't significant, but I couldn't very well go against my betters, but that one's been acting shadily for some time." Feeva's eyes lit up, her heart soaring a bit at her luck.

"So you yourself witnessed it!?" Zurg nodded. "Then I have evidence! Lord Karna Masta won't be able to deny it, his lieutenant is a wolf in our flock, he'll see the snake behind his flowery words at last! Zurg, would you be willing to accompany me, and speak before the Holy Emperor?" Zurg frowned, glancing anxiously between Feeva and Alfa Dilith, who merely chuckled his low chuckle, a sound like thunder in those halls, causing a number of animals to cry out and scatter.

"It's quite alright Zurg. In fact, why don't you take the day off? You deserve it, enjoy yourself, today is a day of festivities!" Zurg breathed a sigh of relief. It was quite clear he hadn't been overly enthused with his place of lingering around the creatures of Grand Gaia, or with dealing with Alfa Dilith in quite this state.

"You have my thanks my lord," he offered with a bow, quickly ushering Feeva towards the door, eager to escape.

…...

The doors leading into Karna Masta's chambers crashed inwards, unfolding into Feeva's crystalline obsidian serpents. With a wave of her hands the two immense beasts shot forward, ramming deep into the wall at the opposite end of the hall, their bodies forming a bridge up to the ball of golden light that was their link to the Holy Emperor when he was away. Both Feeva and Zurg beat a hasty dash across the to the light, coming to kneel before the sacred orb.

"Lord Karna Masta," Feeva intoned, a sense of urgency in her voice. The light shuddered for a moment, before slowly descending, coming face to face with them.

"Feeva, why do you call upon me?" Feeva felt a familiar twisting in her gut. He did not sound pleased.

"Lord Karna Masta, I have grave news. The Palace is in a dire state in your absence."

"Oh? Just what manner of difficulties have you incurred? Another tie-up among the council?" Feeva shook her head.

"Nay, worse. The disciples located within the Palace are disappearing systematically, vanishing from their masters' sides. My lord, I believe that a coup is taking place here, right under our noses."

"Is Lucius unharmed?" Karna Masta asked, his voice level, untroubled. Feeva's hands curled into fists, her nails biting into the flesh of her palms, but she kept her voice even.

"No, my lord," she replied through gritted teeth. "Actually, I've reason to believe that it is he who is behind it." The air hung still, silent for a full minute. That twisting in her guts felt like a hot knife.

"You know, Feeva dear, I do so very hope that you have evidence to this end, and are not flinging such wanton accusations at my lieutenant purely out of spite." Feeva bit her lip, drawing blood, but she stayed silent.

"No sir, I've spoken with each of the gods and their acting disciples. They were taken as Tora was, vanished without a trace, after instigated skirmishes with their masters. My Lord, only one god has such a power, and such influence to pit master against disciple, you know this!"

"Enough!" Karna Masta roared, the light turned a blood red as his tone suddenly turned furious. "These are mere speculations Feeva, this is a base accusation, befouled by greed and jealousy! This is low even for you Feeva."

"But she speaks the truth!" Zurg interjected. The light shifted from its blood red to a more passive blue.

"The disciple of Alfa Dilith? What brings you before me _demon_?" Zurg, his demon side showing, refused to cow down to the Holy Emperor, stepping closer to the light as if he sought to intimidate it.

"I myself bore witness to one such 'disappearance', Lucius himself came to ferry away Tazer, against the express wishes of Lord Alfa Dilith. He's behind it all my lord." Zurg bowed his head, awaiting Karna Masta's word.

"Really?" The Holy Emperor replied, his voice a low drone. "I'm to be convinced, by the word of a lowly _demon_ , about an abduction of disciples, when his account speaks only of a lost disciple, whose god is lost to time?"

"My Lord! you must believe us!" Feeva pleaded, down on both knees now.

"You claim that my most trusted lieutenant seeks a coup, but to what end? He could just as easily usurp my throne without touching the others of the Ten, this miserable accusation lacks legs to stand on Feeva. So once again, bring me _proof_."

"Please, our accounts are genuine!" She insisted, her will already failing.

"I believe that they are, but they tell me nothing Feeva, a slave speaking on behalf of a rogue, give me something more substantial, and perhaps I'll consider allowing you to live, _both_ of you." Zurg gulped, Feeva bared her teeth.

"Don't be foolish! What has Lucius ever done to deserve this kind of loyalty!?"

"And so it comes out, you've nothing left so you resort to petty slander." Feeva slumped, defeated. "Demon," Zurg perked up, "leave me at once, return to your master and count yourself lucky that I don't eradicate your entire race." Zurg bowed, his head hung low in shame as he turned to leave. He paused, looking at Feeva, eyes downcast.

"Rest assured Lady Feeva, if it takes me an eternity, I will be sure to let the world know of Lucius' actions here, he will fall, if it takes my life." Without another word, Zurg departed, leaving Feeva utterly alone, at the whim of the one she'd served eternally without question, but obviously cared not.

"And as for you, my disciple," the light rumbled, baring down on her. "Since I cannot be at the Palace myself, I shall leave you to the judgement of another." Feeva's heart dropped through the floor. "Lucius will be my champion."

"KARNA MASTA DON'T DO THIS!" She cried, slamming a fist into the back of the dragon beneath her feet.

"It's already done my dear." That dreaded voice rang out from the entrance to the room, the ball of light abruptly winking out of existence. Feeva's frame visibly trembled, hatred filling her.

Her dragons burst out from the wall, and with a great roar like grinding steel they attacked. Feeva landed with a flourish on the ground below, drawing her jagged obsidian blade. Lucius chuckled, unfazed by the attack. The dragons circled him for a moment, then leapt from either side of him, aiming to crush him between their two masses. With another sinister laugh, Lucius dropped through a gate that appeared beneath his feet. The dragons collided, spraying jagged chunks of obsidian into the air as they slumped, lifeless.

"What the?" Feeva screamed as a searing hot pain struck across her back, blasting her forward. She landed face-first on the ground, sliding into in a pile of razor sharp obsidian, several deep cuts opening across her arms and face. As soon as she'd slowed to a stop she was on her feet, whirling to face the faceless god.

"Poor little Feeva, not even trusted by the one she holds most dear. Little does the Emperor know that you were his last hope. Pity that." Feeva roared, charging at Lucius, who merely sidestepped her charge, opening a gate directly in her path. Before she knew it, Feeva was suddenly falling from the gate that had appeared on the ceiling. She reached out to one of the dormant dragons with her mind, and the beast responded instantly, rising to its full height for Feeva to land gingerly upon its head.

"Face me you coward god!" She demanded, aiming her sword towards Lucius.

"Spoken like a true warrior. And do you know Feeva, what the role of warriors is? They live to be the dogs that serve a higher power." A gate opened at Lucius' feet, he extended a long, slender hand out towards it. "Now kneel, dog." A ray of white light shot from his palms, Feeva barely heard the slight shudder as the companion gate appeared directly overhead. She jumped off her pet just in time as the ray struck its head. The beast shuddered, its surface began cracking, white hot light shining from the cracks before it finally exploded, catapulting smoking obsidian shrapnel everywhere.

Lucius lightly stepped around, avoiding the raining hellstone. Feeva kept sailing, the force of the blast rocketing her towards him. She landed directly in front of him, actually making him jump a bit in shock. With a triumphant grin she buried her blade deep into Lucius' chest, savoring every satisfying inch of flesh she felt give beneath the attack, up until she felt her hands meet those ridiculous rainbow feathers.

"Now, you tell me exactly what you mean by 'last hope', you spare any details, and I will _end_ you." Lucius' body shuddered, trembling. Feeva grinned for a moment, thinking it was fear, but then she realized that he was _laughing_ at her.

"Alright Feeva, you've earned that much. As we speak, there is a group approaching Karna Masta's position in Lizeria, with orders to kill him." Feeva stood there a moment, silent. Then it was her turn to laugh.

"Really? To _kill_ the Holy Emperor? Only you would be fool enough to think that anybody could defeat him. You really think a plan like that would work?"

"Yes." The certainty in his voice, coupled with that incessant, irritating laughter, actually threw Feeva, for a moment she actually believed him.

"Fat chance Lucius, never before has a mortal been born that can lay low one of the Ten, let alone the Holy Emperor himself. And I know they're mortal, no god would ever be fool enough to agree to suicide." Lucius chuckled again, it was smug, like he _knew_ better.

"No, but this one comes _incredibly_ close. Besides, I only need Karna Masta weakened, and then I can merely seal him away. He's already good as gone Feeva, you're too late."

"You say that," Feeva snarled twisting her blade in Lucius' chest, "but you die here, by my hand." That laugh again, if he had a throat somewhere she'd tear it out of him.

"Oh my dear Feeva, poor, foolish child yet, you don't even realize, you've already lost. It takes more than a meager wound to kill me. And as for you, I do believe that it's time you join your companions." Feeva growled, the other disciples, she knew that was what he meant. "Gate." She cocked her head, confused.

"Gate?" Lucius' hands locked over Feeva's arms, holding her in place.

"Gate." All of the energy abruptly drained from Feeva's body, she couldn't even muster the energy to react, just stare as lights began shining in his hands, searing the flesh of Feeva's forearms. "Maybe you'll even be the one to triumph. You see Feeva, you all need power for something, the Creator's child that seeks to ease the burdens of his master, the fool who wishes to free his companion of his prison, the power hungry swordsman thirsting for supremacy, and the darling little rose, whose only wish now is to take out her fury. So, you'll need to kill each other, and the last standing shall be granted power beyond their comprehension as my right hand."

"I….will….destroy you." She swore, though her voice was but a weak whisper now.

"Oh I'm sure Feeva, but first you'll have to destroy your friends. And before that, you'll need to survive the fall." _Fall?_

Before Feeva could ask what he meant, her world exploded in pain. More searing white light lanced through her chest, a tremendous beam the size of her head. The power she'd lost and so much more rushed back into her, flooding her to overflowing. She was flying back, flying, feeling the power trying to preserve itself in a dying form. Her vision blurred as she flew back, flying, and suddenly it wasn't Karna Masta's throne room overhead, but a blood red sky, and silvery red clouds, and she was falling.

 _Lady Maxwell._

Tears brimmed in Feeva's eyes, obscuring her vision further.

 _Disciple pitted against disciple._

She went rigid, her body ready to move, for action.

 _Lord Karna Masta._

Her vision focused, rage building in her. Her hands balled into fists at her sides.

 _And Lucius, that smug troll, waiting for others to kill each other. that pitiful, arrogant, cowardly bastard!_

 _And he was going to be God._

Feeva howled her white hot fury to heaven and earth for all to hear.

She slammed a fist down as she struck the earth impacting with such force that a crater formed, burying the very ground beneath her fist. The ground around her erupted in a massive, rippling wave of razor sharp obsidian that towered over her, fanning out like knives all across the wide crater, casting a looming shadow over herself.

 _A battle for godhood, well then, a worthy price…_

"Ayyyyy Feeves." She lifted her head, brushing her ashen gray locks from her eyes. It was Tazer, casually strolling into the the ominous, deadly ring of obsidian while his hands twirled an oddly ornate staff between them, his usual friendly smile on his face. "Ya see Kanon? Lord of the Hunt, this guy, told ya I'd find her."

"Wha...Tazer?" Her voice was still a bit groggy, but compared to what it had been mere moments ago, it was thrumming with life. Looking behind the happy-go-lucky disciple she actually saw Kanon floating up behind. "What...what are you doing...Kanon as well?" Kanon bowed his head forward in greeting, then his eyes widened in shock.

"Lady Feeva, so good to see you again. You um...well...you appear to…" Kanon paused, lost for words, Feeva's eyebrows furrowed.

"Ya got a big ass hole in your chest Feeves!" Tazer exclaimed in his upbeat, casual tone. He waved the staff a few times at her, and the crystal at its center began to glow. Feeva felt an icy cold sensation pass over her, and felt it numb the pain in her chest, she glanced down to see smooth, taut skin where it had been a gaping hole, good as new. "Sorry, that just looked like it hurt like a _bitch_. Anyway, scale of one to ten, how hungry are you?" Feeva put a hand to her chin, her stomach _had_ just been magically regenerated before her very eyes, she'd have to figure out what _that_ was about later, so she was definitely famished.

"Hmm...I'd probably say an eight."

"GOOD!" Tazer thundered excitedly, "Because I just caught, the MOTHER of all big'ins! I call it, THE GRADE-A PLUS PREMIUM LOW FAT ORGANIC NO-GMO FREE-RANGE GLUTEN-FREE NOT YELLOW FELNEUS!" Kanon's sigh made Feeva's skull thrum.

"It's name is Eldora, Tazer, that creature is the very beast that devastated the old Ishgrian kingdoms of Estoria and Mildran, after going into a rage the likes of which-"

"So Feev," Tazer began, leaving Kanon to his rant," I like my name like, infinitely better than Kanon's, buuuut I guess it's for you to decide which one's best. But that's beside the point, for you, I am gonna make up some kick-ass steaks tonight, sound like a plan?" Feeva smiled, her stomach rumbling at the idea. Tazer's attitude was just infectious, it left her with a warmth in her chest, like despite the fact that she'd just essentially been exiled, she was more at home here than she'd ever been.

"I think that sounds lovely Tazer." Tazer seized her hand, all but dragging her off.

"SICK! Let's go! Camp's this way, Alpha's there too, not so sure about Tora though."

"-And that's why, out of respect to the old monarch Adel I believe we should release the creature...Tazer? Feeva?" Kanon whirled around in place to find the two other disciples already running off back towards their camp. He rushed after them, his mind casting enraged curses upon Tazer that both he and Feeva heard clearly, they broke out laughing as they ran.

 _A battle for godhood?_ Feeva thought to herself, _I could never._

...

 **Heeeeey Friends!**

So I'm back to bring you all the story of Feeva! I loved writing this chapter, being able to picture how all the fallen gods reacted to the loss of their disciples and considering the relationship Feeva probably had with Lucius and Karna Masta. I hope you all enjoyed reading it, so please go ahead and leave a comment, give me some feedback on what you think of the story and my writing, your thoughts, and anything you'd like to see. I'll see you all next time for the beginning of the disciples and their time in Ishgria, where they'll encounter a...very special demon ;p Take care everyone, and have a great day!


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